Fewer than one in 10 patients that would benefit from GLP-1 drugs including Wegovy have access to them, caution the global health agency as it issues its inaugural guidance on the drugs.
Considering more than one billion individuals worldwide now living with obesity, it is advocating for increased and just access to this class of drugs.
Per estimates, more than two billion could be obese by 2030 unless action is taken.
"The latest guidance affirms that obesity is a lifelong illness that can be addressed with comprehensive and lifelong support," stated its chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
High costs, insufficient output, and supply-chain constraints are key hurdles to universal access to the jabs that can assist patients in reducing substantial body mass, notes the body.
GLP-1 Therapy Scarcity
Even in the present best projected outlook, the supply of these medications might only reach approximately 100 million people – fewer than 10% of the global need, per the WHO.
The guideline encourages governments and firms to widen availability, via strategies like licensing agreements.
A patent on semaglutide – the primary ingredient of Novo Nordisk's Wegovy – is set to lapse in multiple countries in 2026.
The Way Obesity Drugs Work
These medications mimick a biological compound to reduce digestion speed, reduce hunger and increase the sense of being full so users eat less.
Individuals typically begin shedding pounds after several weeks of commencing the regular doses.
Research indicates users may regain a significant portion a year later of stopping the drug, as their normal food cravings resume.
Being carrying excess weight raises your likelihood for developing health problems, including diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and specific cancers.
Excess weight impacts people in every country and was responsible for millions of fatalities worldwide in 2024, per the health agency.
